Accounting for up to 90 percent of the overall exhibits, more than 100 prints capturing various scenes of old Peking reveal the daily lives of residents, imperial activities, celebrations and official meetings of the period.
"There have been numerous exhibitions on old Peking in the past," Shi Jingsheng, general director of the exhibition told the Global Times, "But what distinguishes Imperial City Impression is that most of the images are Western prints, which used to be one of the most popular methods of recording events."
Based on different themes, the exhibition is divided into four main sections, Imperial Life, Folk Customs, City Scenes and Old Maps.
The Imperial Life section boasts a multitude of prints, revealing what imperial activities of the late Qing Dynasty were like from a Western perspective. Various royal events, including the marriage of the emperor, rituals of sacrifice, meetings with foreign missions and entertainment activities of the royal family, were captured and will be on display.
One piece, depicting Emperor Guangxu, the ninth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, sledding on Taiye Lake in the Forbidden City in 1895, is among the most rare in the exhibition, according to Shi.
"Compared to his miserable life under the constant control of Empress Cixi, the print reveals an unusual moment when the short-lived emperor enjoyed his life," Shi explained.
Another work providing a rare insight into the grandeur of Yuan Ming Yuan, or Old Summer Palace, before it was burnt to the ground in 1860, is expected to attract much attention. The print reveals the two-story hexangular building painted simply in yellow and red, with several people casually standing around it.
"The whole scene looks so quiet and peaceful in the picture. It's hard to believe that Yuan Ming Yuan was burnt to debris shortly afterwards. What a pity!" Shi sighed.
According to Shi, Yuan Ming Yuan was once a masterpiece of imperial architecture from the Qing Dynasty. He said that when the print was put on public display in Britain one year after the palace burnt down, people wondered at the delicate decorations and grandeur of the palace.
The Folk Custom section is another highlight of the upcoming exhibition. Many Western artists captured the lifestyles of both local people and foreigners living in old Peking. Among these works, one print stands out with its focus on a city moat that was covered in sleds waiting to be ridden during a freezing winter's day. Another print reveals a beautiful spring afternoon in Beihai Park.
Aside from prints, other items such as old maps, ancient books and a large array of photographs of the city have been added to the exhibition, helping to enrich its content and context. Many of the pieces provide excellent reference points for a better appreciation and understanding of the prints.
During the exhibition, Han Pu, a well-respected expert in the history of old Peking, will present two lectures on the development of Western prints, further helping visitors understand the works in depth.
According to Han, due to a lack of information at the time, some of the prints do not show what he considers to be the real images of old Peking. Han said that despite this, their documentation value should not be ignored. He added that they serve as items displaying cultural exchange between China and the West over centuries.
"Above all, both Chinese and foreign audiences can definitely identify with their predecessors emotionally when they look beyond the prints," Han said.
The exhibition opens Thursday until December 13. Han's lectures will be held on November 21 and 28.